Three Connacht players have been selected in Ireland team to play the Barbarians this Friday night in Thomond Park for the Mastercard Trophy.

Gavin Duffy will start at outside centre, Sean Cronin at hooker and John Muldoon at blindside flanker.

Second rows Ed O’Donoghue and Dan Touhy will make their first senior appearance for Ireland in the uncapped match as will centre Fergus McFadden and No.8 Chris Henry.

In addition to these fresh faces coming into the side, the team is fastened with a backbone of experience with Ronan O’Gara, who will captain the side, and Peter Stringer the halfback partnership.

Marcus Horan will start alongside Sean Cronin and Tony Buckley in the front row with Rob Kearney, Shane Horgan and Andrew Trimble selected in the back three.  Gavin Duffy comes into the squad and is selected at outside centre to partner the uncapped McFadden in midfield.

Ireland XV (V Barbarians, Mastercard Challenge, Friday June 4th, Thomond Park):

15 - Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 - Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
13 - Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
12 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
11 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
10 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster) Captain
9 - Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
1 - Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
2 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
3 - Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
4 - Ed O’Donoghue (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*
5 - Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)*
6 - John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)
7 - Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
8 - Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*

Replacements:

16 - Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 - Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
20 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
21 - Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
22 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)